Last updated: 14 October 2026 | Written for Eid ul Adha 2027
Qurbani Easy Editorial Team • Advised by our panel of Islamic scholars
Quick Answer: Qurbani meat may be stored. The early rule that forbade eating it after three days was lifted in the Prophet’s lifetime (Sahih al-Bukhari 5569, Sahih Muslim 1972), and the sources we opened set no time limit afterwards. How long it stays good in the freezer is a food-safety question, which the US Department of Agriculture answers in terms of safety and quality.
Eid ul Adha brings a lot of meat in a few days. Families ask whether it can go into the freezer and for how long, and many remember being told that Qurbani meat must be finished in three days. The hadith reports below explain where that comes from and what changed.
The three-day rule and why it was lifted
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Whoever has slaughtered a sacrifice should not keep anything of its meat after three days.” When it was the next year the people said, “O Allah’s Messenger! Shall we do as we did last year?” He said, ‘Eat of it and feed of it to others and store of it, for in that year the people were having a hard time and I wanted you to help (the needy).’
Narrated by Salama bin Al-Aqua’; Sahih al-Bukhari 5569
Jabir reported that Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) forbade eating of the flesh of sacrificed animals beyond three (days), but afterwards said: Eat, make a provision, and keep it.
Sahih Muslim 1972
Sahih Muslim 1971 gives the reason in a report from A’isha: poor people from the desert had come to the towns on Eid, and the Prophet (ﷺ) had told the people to keep enough for three days and give the rest in charity; he then explained that he had forbidden it because of those poor people who had come, and said that now they may eat, preserve and give in charity.
What the fatwa source adds
The Hanafi answer quoted by Muftionline.co.za (from al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya) says it is recommended to eat from the Qurbani and feed others from it, and that it is best to give a third in charity, keep a third as hospitality for relatives and friends and store a third. Our guide dividing Qurbani meat explains the three-part practice. We did not open a Shafi’i, Maliki or Hanbali answer on storage, so we do not state their view.
Keeping it well: food safety, not religion
Once storage is allowed, the question becomes a practical one. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says that freezer storage is for quality only and that frozen foods remain safe indefinitely when kept at 0 °F. For quality it gives 4 to 12 months for uncooked steaks or chops and 3 to 4 months for uncooked ground meat. Those are US government guidelines for quality, not religious rules. For handling meat in hot weather before it is frozen, see safe handling of meat in hot weather.
- Freeze the meat soon after it is cut and cooled; do not leave it out.
- Pack it in portions, so you thaw only what you cook.
- Label the pack with the date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep Qurbani meat for more than three days?
Yes, according to the hadith reports we opened. An earlier prohibition on eating the meat after three days was lifted: the Prophet (ﷺ) told the people to eat, feed others and store (Sahih al-Bukhari 5569), and later said “Eat, make a provision, and keep it” (Sahih Muslim 1972).
Is there a religious limit on how long the meat may be stored?
The reports we opened give no time limit after the first three days were lifted. We did not find a fatwa source with a number of days or months, so we do not state one.
How long is frozen meat good for?
The US Department of Agriculture (FSIS) says freezer storage times are for quality only and that frozen foods stay safe indefinitely when kept frozen at 0 °F (about −18 °C); for quality its chart gives 4 to 12 months for uncooked steaks or chops and 3 to 4 months for uncooked ground meat.
Should I still share the meat?
The Hanafi fatwa quoted by Muftionline.co.za says it is best to give a third in charity, a third as hospitality for relatives and friends and to keep a third. See dividing Qurbani meat.
Does Qurbani Easy deliver meat to my home?
No. The meat is 100% distributed to people in need; there is no home delivery. This guide is for meat you receive or prepare yourself.
Related guides: dividing Qurbani meat; safe handling of meat in hot weather.
To arrange a Qurbani whose meat is distributed to people in need, you can book Qurbani online on our website.
Citation Sources
• Sahih al-Bukhari 5569 (Salama bin Al-Aqua’) — the three-day rule and its lifting: eat, feed and store; checked on sunnah.com.
• Sahih Muslim 1972 (Jabir) — “Eat, make a provision, and keep it”; checked on sunnah.com.
• Sahih Muslim 1971 (A’isha) — the reason for the earlier rule; checked on sunnah.com.
• Muftionline.co.za (Hanafi), quoting al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya — islamqa.org — eat, feed others, a third each for charity, hospitality and storing.
• USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, “Freezing and Food Safety” — fsis.usda.gov — frozen foods remain safe indefinitely; quality times at 0 °F.
Madhab note: only a Hanafi source on storage was opened; the hadith reports are in the two Sahih collections. The freezer figures are food-safety guidance, not a ruling.